Another dies of dengue

One more dengue patient died while 255 others were hospitalised in the 24 hours till 8am yesterday. According to the Directorate General of Health Services, among the new cases, 22 are from outside Dhaka.

As per DGHS data, 49 people have died of dengue in the country this year. All of them succumbed to the disease in July, August and September. Twelve people died in July, 30 in August while seven have died in September so far.

With the new cases, a total of 880 people have been diagnosed in the first three days of the running month. A total of 11,236 people was infected with dengue this year so far.

At least 7,698 patients were hospitalised in August, 2,286 in July, 272 in June, while 43 were infected in May.

Although most patients who were hospitalised have so far been released, 1,257 are still undergoing treatment at hospitals, the DGHS data shows. The number of patients hospitalised in Dhaka currently is 1,120 while the number outside Dhaka is 137.

Amid the rise in dengue cases, DGHS on August 23 announced six hospitals in Dhaka dedicated to treating dengue patients. They are Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital in Dhaka, Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital in Tongi, Railway General Hospital at Kamalapur, 20-bed Aminbazar Govt Hospital, Lalkuthi Hospital in Mirpur, and 31-bed Kamrangirchar Hospital.

Meanwhile, LGRD Minister Tazul Islam yesterday claimed that the multi-dimensional initiatives by the government and a change in season will decrease the dengue infection rate by the end of this month.

The minister was speaking at a shadow parliamentary debate titled "Civics' Active Participation in Decreasing Dengue Outbreak" at the capital's Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).

He also said they would consider paying compensation to the families of those who died from dengue, if they apply for the compensation.